1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information processing equipment in which a display device is rotated from a main body or a supporting member such as a portable computer, a computer for a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitor, and a Personal Digital Assistance (PDA), and more particularly, to an apparatus for adjusting angle of an image device such as a camera which is attached to the display device.
2. Background of the Related Art
Generally, information processing equipment is a portable terminal such as a PDA, and a portable computer such as a palmtop computer, a notebook computer, or a laptop computer. Some of these information processing equipments include a display device rotated from a main body or a supporting unit on which various data is displayed. In addition, information processing equipments can include a camera installed on the display device for a video communication.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a perspective view of a portable computer that is one of the information processing equipment including a camera. The portable computer includes a main body 11 having a square plate, and a display body 21 rotationally connected to the main body.
A keyboard 13 and a control button 15 are installed on a upper surface of the main body 11, and a plurality of connector ports 17 are installed on a side boundary for connecting with computer external devices. In addition, a pair of hinge coupling units 19 are formed on the main body 11 protruded upward so that the display body 21 can be opened/closed by rotating from/to the main body 11.
A display panel 23, which is electrically connected to a built-in unit in the main body 11 and displays data, is disposed on an inner surface of the display body 21. A camera 31, which is a kind of an image device, is electrically connected to the built-in unit of the main body 11 and rotatably connected to the display body 21 so that the picture/video communication can be made. The camera 31 is installed on an upper end part of the display body 21.
In addition, a camera accepting portion 41 is formed on the upper end part of the display body 21 to position the camera. The camera accepting portion 41 includes a camera connector 45 so that the camera 31 can be electrically connected to the built-in unit in the main body 11. A sliding door 43 is installed on the display body 21 so that the camera accepting portion 41 can be slidingly opened/closed.
The camera 31 includes a camera body 33 connected to the camera connector 45 so as to be removable and a lens unit 35. The lens unit 35 has a lens 34 rotatably connected to the camera body 33 so as to photograph a user for the picture communication.
To make the picture communication using the image device such as the camera in the portable computer described above, the display body 21 is rotated to a certain angle from the main body 11, and then the camera 31 is connected to the camera connector 45 of the display body 21. After that, the lens unit 35 is rotated and controlled so that the camera 31 can photograph the user.
However, the portable computer described above has various disadvantages. The camera connector 45 on which the camera 31 is connected is fixed, and therefore, the angle of the lens unit 35 should be changed whenever the viewing angle of the display body 21 from the main body 21 is changed. Further, since the angle of the display body 21 is changed in order to view displayed information according to posture or height of an user in the conventional portable computer, the user should change the angle of the camera 31 so that a face can be correctly inputted through the camera 31.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.